Chocolate and Hazelnut Meringue Chocolate Cake (GF)

I've done it again.
Between the last post and now, I've made quite a few good things. But blogging about it ... It never happened. Too busy, I guess, with going to school and everything. Perhaps I can pick up blogging when I've finished school. Perhaps.

Wait and see :-)

In the mean time:
This was the cake I made for my birthday:
a Chocolate and Hazelnut Meringue Chocolate Cake
Gluten-free ofcourse !



Ingredients for the cake:
• 140g good-quality butter
• 3/4c brown sugar
• 6 large eggs, separated
• 340g chocolate, melted and cooled
• 1 1/2 T espresso or vanilla
• 1/4 t salt

Preheat oven to 175°C.
Butter a springform pan of about 22cm (9 inch). Line with parchment paper.
Whip the butter and brown sugar until pale and smooth, about 3 minutes.
Add egg yolks one at a time, beating after each addition.
Add the melted chocolate, espresso or vanilla and salt. Beat until combined.
In a clean mixer bowl, beat the egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Fold the egg whites into chocolate mixture and pour batter into the springform pan. Bake the chocolate until it is crackling and slightly firm, 40 to 45 minutes. Or with the meringue: bake the cake for 25min, remove from the oven and go to the next step..

Ingredients for the meringue:
• 115g chocolate, chopped
• 115g hazelnuts, toasted, skinned and roughly chopped
• 1 T cornstarch
• 4 large egg whites
• 3/4c fine white sugar

Place the 4 egg whites in a clean mixer bowl, beat on high speed until frothy. With the mixer running, slowly add the sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form, about 8 minutes.
Combine the chopped chocolate, nuts and cornstarch. Fold the hazelnut mixture into the egg whites.

Spread meringue mixture on top of the cake and return to the oven.
Bake until the meringue is lightly browned and crisp: 25 to 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven, transfer to a wire rack and let stand 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen and release sides of the pan. Let cool before slicing and serving.

Tastes even better the next day !